Field
The present application relates to a medical or dental handpiece having a coil for inductive power and/or data exchange.
Description of Prior Art
Such a handpiece is known from US Patent Application US 2003/0093103 A1. The handpiece comprises an outer shell, in which a bore is provided for insertion of a treatment tool. In addition, a drive shaft couplable with the treatment tool is provided in the bore, so that a rotational movement may be induced to the treatment tool. A memory unit comprising a memory, e.g., for identification data or operating data of the treatment tool and a coil connected to the memory is provided on the treatment tool. The coil of the memory unit is inductively coupled to another coil in the handpiece, so that data and power supply for the memory can be transferred from the handpiece to the memory unit of the treatment tool and data can be transferred from the memory to the handpiece.
The coil of the handpiece is arranged on the front end of the handpiece in a receptacle or in a setback of the outer shell. The receptacle or setback for the coil is connected to the environment via gaps and/or the bore for insertion of the treatment tool, so that there is the risk that treatment fluids, particles or other soiling may reach the coil through the gaps or bores, impairing its function and thus hindering or interrupting the overall data and power transfer. To reduce this risk, a plurality of sealing means, such as O-rings, adhesives, plastic rings, etc., are provided on the handpiece to seal the gaps or the coil. These sealing devices increase the manufacturing effort involved in the handpiece and make it more complicated.
It is therefore an object to create a medical, in particular dental, handpiece, which does not have the aforementioned disadvantages and protects the coil of the handpiece in particular from soiling without requiring a plurality of additional sealing elements.